is autism heriditary?

Question

please help.. i need info

Answer 1

Hello Muksan,

Thank you for your query.
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neuro-biological condition, the cause of which is not yet fully known. That's why it's pictorial symbol is an "unfinished puzzle".
Until recently [say last 50 years], autism was thought to have generated due to bad parenting and abuse [i.e. external factors]. However, very recently scientific researches in this area are revealing that autism has a genetic component, among other factors. It's a neuro-biological disorder and siblings of autistic individual have higher record of developing autism themselves than the normal population [i.e. 1 in 150 versus 1 in 20].

Hence, autism is linked, but *not* limited to genes.
Scientists are still trying to find out other factors that cause autism. Please browse through the resources I listed at the very bottom.

Autism has been on epidemic rise, currently affecting 1 in every 150 children. It is generally diagnosed at the age of three. It is generally assumed that autism has complex genetic links combined with environmental triggers. It is a spectrum and people with autism may be mildly or severely affected depending on where in the continuum there conditions lie.

Hope this helps a little.
Thank you again for your interest in autism.

Answer 2

Firstly, autism is not a single syndrome. There are many different kinds of autism with different causes.

There have been several genetic defects found which apparently cause different kinds of autism.

There is also the possibilty that some autism could be caused by other environmental issues too. Research continues.

So lets let the answer be "Yes" in this case.

Answer 3

Autism does not run strongly in families, like eye or hair color. Many genes contribute to autism however, and some experts say that an unfortunate confluence of inherited genes produce the majority of autistic children.

Certainly, it is very difficult, to predict which children, in which families, will suffer autism.

Many others worry that problems with our environment lead to autism. Vaccines with mercury are blamed often for autism - but the evidence is lacking. Some blame especially pollutants, and even TV!

For a constant stream of autism info, some reliable and some not, consider the Schafer Autism Report....

Answer 4

Autism is a puzzling disorder because it is difficult to understand the behaviour of people with autism, and because the world is so confusing for a person with autism. Autism affects about one in 500 people and boys are more likely to be affected than girls.

Autism was first identified in 1943, but it appears to have existed throughout recorded history. It occurs in all ethnic and social groups. Our knowledge of autism has improved greatly over the years, although there is no known cure. We still do not know what causes autism, but it is thought to be a brain disorder.

Answer 5

The fact that the concordance rate (likelihood that if one is autistic, the other is too) for identical twins is somewhere between 60 to 80% and only 6% in fraternal twins indicates that genetics is a MAJOR factor - just not the ONLY factor.

Apparently one doesn't inherit autism as much as they inherit a vulnerability to autism. Something "triggers" autism in such children. Something which would not trigger autism in one without the genetic vulnerability.

Some believe vaccines are the trigger. I do not agree. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Anv3Ej3c0uWeORcTuSlj.8Tty6IX?qid=20070224203507AAneU6u&show=7#profile-info-XaVCCG3Naa

Many professionals (such as Geraldien Dawson, PhD & S. Ozzonoff, PhD of the M.I.N.D. institute) believe more than one gene is involved. They believe at least 5 genes "collide" to create the vulnerability for autism.

Answer 6

Autism is hereditary, in that children with autistic people in their family are more likely than other children to be autistic. Researchers are well on the way to finding genes that relate to autism -- but the jury is still out regarding exactly how such genes might function to create autistic symptoms. Sophia Colamarino, Science Program Director at Cure Autism Now, explains,"We’re talking about genes because they allow us to understand the biological origins of the problem."

http://autism.about.com/od/causesofautism/p/recentresearch.htm

Answer 7

Hi,I'm Sarah.
I have Autism.
It has many links & realations to Fagile X Syndrome.
At least 1/3 of kids with Autism have Fragile X.
I have not been tested for it yet.
Since they do blood tests for Fragile X,there's
a possibility that it's genetic,but we don't know for sure.

Glad to help,
-Ms.Sarah

Answer 8

Autism isn't hereditary. But if one or more of a child's parents have it, the offspring is more susceptible to receiving the gene of Autism. Hope this Helps!
AG

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Hi:

Autism is not heriditary.

My son has Autism and he is now 12.

If I can help in any way, feel free to contact me. My contact info is in my profile.

Be safe and be well